Clarke wins partial victories on ID card and terrorism bills

Friday 17 March 2006 18.59 EST
First published on Friday 17 March 2006 18.59 EST

The government enjoyed two welcome but partial victories yesterday as MPs restored crucial clauses to its identity cards and terrorism bills.

But there is no end in sight to the "ping-pong" between the Commons and the Lords, as both the home secretary and opposition parties vowed to stand firm. If MPs and peers continue to reject each other's decisions, they could hold up the ID card scheme by up to two years.

On Wednesday, the Lords rejected the government's attempt to insist that the details for passport applicants should be placed on the national identity database, insisting that the move mounted to "compulsion by stealth".

Yesterday MPs restored the measure by 292 to 241, a majority of 51. They also restored a clause introducing a new offence of glorification to the terrorism bill, by 296 votes to 237, a majority of 59.

In theory, the disputes between the Commons and Lords could run until July, but ministers believe they can exhaust the will of peers.

"Their majorities [in the Lords] are getting smaller - ours are getting larger," sources close to the home secretary, Charles Clarke, said yesterday.